Sep 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe (5) against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Jaguars 26-23 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Kluwe has been in the national media spotlight ever since getting cut from the Minnesota Vikings and then the Oakland Raiders in 2013 Training Camp as the former punter has been in a fight over the Vikings organization over being released due to what he felt was intolerance for his stance on equal rights for gay people.
After taking to Twitter to air his grievances with the Vikings, who leaked a report of some of Kluwe’s distasteful locker room humor regarding the Penn State scandal, Kluwe recently commented on the situation to Minnesota media that he feels that his former special teams coach should be suspended for longer than three games for his alleged comments towards Kluwe about gay people and his advocacy towards gay rights.
From ProFootballTalk:
"Former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe is continuing his campaign against the NFL for what he says is an attitude of intolerance both toward gays and to people like Kluwe who have advocated for gay rights.In his latest comments, Kluwe told FOX Twin Cities that Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefer should have been suspended for more than three games for making anti-gay remarks after Kluwe began speaking out for gay marriage. Kluwe contrasted Priefer’s suspension with the suspensions for other violations of league rules.“Players who get caught smoking weed or DUI get four games, and you’re telling me the guy who made a comment like ‘let’s round up all the gays put them on an island nuke it till it glows’ — he’s only going to get a slap on the wrist?” Kluwe said.Kluwe is a bit off on the suspensions that players get, as players who get DUIs usually aren’t suspended at all unless someone is injured or killed or it’s a repeat offense. Regardless, Kluwe thinks the NFL has misplaced priorities.“The NFL is a league where you can get redemption for killing someone, for beating your wife in an elevator, for driving drunk, for a whole variety of things but when you speak out for civil rights, that’s the one thing you cannot get redeemed for,” Kluwe added."
This Kluwe situation isn’t going away any time soon, and the punter has no problems with the Raiders so this story should remain as between him and the Vikings as the two sides continue what is amounting to a public relations battle. Turning more and more into the fiasco that was the Miami Dolphins controversy, expect more dirty laundry to be aired out by both sides as this legal battle continues with Kluwe taking full aim at exposing the team that released him.